The present invention relates to equipment and processes for producing packaged beverages and more particularly equipment and processes for combining two or more constituent liquids in a desired ratio or proportion.
The liquid proportioner according to the present invention yields a variety of advantages principally resulting from the ability of the proportioner to pace or induce a constant flow rate and accordingly rather stable pressure difference between system components. Constant flow improves and maintains mix accuracy, encourages steady state operation of associated refrigerator system, and insures a sufficient quantity of blended product.
Further, and more particularly, the proportioner according to the present invention achieves a variable flow rate determined by pressure differential which in turn responds to the availability of the flow rate of constituent fluids or to the variation in flow of the combined fluids while maintaining a desired proportioning ratio.
Patented prior art relating to the type of proportioner disclosed herein include the U.S. Pat. Nos. to WITT et al 3,237,808 issued Mar. 1, 1969, and Mnikl et al 3,743,141 issued July 3, 1973. The WITT et al patent is assigned to the assignee of the present application and by reference thereto it is intended that its disclosure be incorporated herein.